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The Nature Conservancys Vision for a Sustainable Urban Century ENVISIONING A OUR VISION FOR A SUSTAINABLE URBAN CENTURY GREEN CITY GREAT2 1 What Defines a Great Green City?magine cities that are not apart from nature, but a part of nature.We can aspire to cities where people and nature both thrive; truly flourishing communities where green space is not seen as a luxury but as critical urban infrastructure that effectively addresses some of urban plannings biggest challenges. By 2050, two of every three people on Earth will live in a city. This human migration from rural to urban lives is unprecedented and is projected to result in the rapid urbanization of a land area greater than the size of France and Germany combined; driving habi- tat loss, as well as the degradation of lands that we rely on to protect our drinking water and grow our food. Poorly planned urban growth could even interfere with cities best defense against a changing climate natural lands for climate adaptation.Rather than embracing nature, however, weve built our cities and towns to work against it. Concrete buildings and streets trap and amplify heat, resulting in the death of tens of thousands of people each year. Impermeable surfaces cannot absorb rainwater, causing stormwater flooding and contributing to pollution in rivers and oceans. Treeless streets exacerbate the impact of pollution from nearby traffic and factories, leading to higher asthma rates and cardiovascular disease. And climate change is only making these challenges more difficult for cities. But cities are far more than a problem to be solved. As centers of innovation and inspiration, filled with a diversity of people who want to change the world: Cities can be our solution. “Investing in healthy reefs, wetlands, and other natural systems can significantly reduce the impacts of flooding, storms, and wildfires. And in many cases green infrastructure can be more cost effective than traditional gray infrastructure. These investments wont just help rebuild communities todaythey will help to build resilience for the future.” Pascal Mittermaier, Global Managing Director for Cities, The Nature Conservancy Mark R. Tercek, President between greener cities and more resilient cities; and calls for the benefits of nature to be equally accessible to all residents. This collective vision for “well-planned urbanization” that accounts for how the built and natural environments work in tandem, not in opposition, to make our cities more livable will be key as cities around the world swell to adapt to growing human populations. Creat- ing and protecting safe, inclusive and accessible green spaces can bring myriad benefits to cities.But nature can do more. As cities grow and resources are strained, nature can improve human health and well- being by reducing particulate matter in the air we breathe (SDG No. 3), can con- tribute to clean water and sanitation by protecting source water (SDG No. 6) and when plans incorporate the needs of local residents, access to nature can help address some of the impacts of inequality (SDG No. 10).Urban conservation isnt a separate goal for city leaders to add onto their already busy agendas. Its a series of tools that can help city leaders meet their existing goals across many sectors economic growth, public health, waste management, thriving neighborhoods that attract resi- dents and businesses.Cities need nature. And cities can lead the world.Working collaboratively via networks including ICLEI, 100 Resilient Cities and C40, mayors and their staff can drive policy on biodiversity protection, climate adaptation and mitigation and wastewater management to solve national and global challenges.Together, we can make life in cities better for all of us. With nature as our ally, we aim to improve the quality of life for more than a hundred million people in cities around the world by 2025 and build a movement for nature-based solutions so that both people and nature thrive. Our solution: BY DEVELOPING innovative collaborations, financing mechanisms and policy strategies, we can change how municipal leaders look at nature. NATURE + Pitting people against nature offers a false choice. Joel Paque, Global Cities Program Director, The Nature Conservancy PEOPLE BY TAKING our direction from local residents and working side-by-side with community leaders we can make nature a valuable asset for every neighborhood. BY TESTING solutions at the community level, then sharing best practices globally through partnerships and networks, we can replicate successes and avoid inefficiencies. Working with neighborhoods to plan for more urban nature can help strengthen a community. A sidewalk bioswale (above), like this one in New York City, can clean stormwater runoff, reducing pollution in rivers and bays. Harvesting greens at the Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm, which grows more than 50,000 pounds of organically cultivated produce per year. KEVIN ARNOLD4 5 INCREASING neighborhood property values Resilient to the impacts of climate change. Green spaces and trees cool neighborhoods in the face of increasing heat. Local rivers and watersheds are healthy and provide access to clean drinking water and recreational opportunities for everyone. Green infrastructure like rain gardens and swales helps mitigate flooding by absorbing excess stormwater. Abundant coastal habitats such as oyster reefs and seagrass beds buffers coastlines against erosion and storm surge. SPONGE CITIES Shenzhen, China The Nature Conservancys China program is leading on the “Sponge Cities” initiative, an effort developed by the Chi- nese government to use nature as a solution to water manage- ment challenges, including storm runoff and flooding. In Shenzhen, a fast-growing meg- acity in Guangdong Province, weve supported efforts by the Tencent Corporation to use permeable pavers, green roofs and smart design to manage water at their high-rise head- quarters. Weve worked with a local school to build a garden that filters water, and with an innovative “sponge city” park to invite neighborhood resi- dents into a conversation about the role of nature. And weve built a model green roof, designed to retain and use 65% of the rainwater that lands on the roof of a residen- tial building in a densely populated neighborhood. Each of these pilot projects demonstrates the potential of urban nature so others can adopt our solutions. WATER SECURITY So Paolo, Brazil This decade, So Paulo suf- fered its worst drought since records were first kept in 1930. Low rainfall and high rates of evaporation have caused the volume of water stored in the regional water system, which served 9 million people, to dip to less than 10 percent of its total capacity. The Conser- vancy is a part of the Water Movement for So Paulo, a partnership aiming to help businesses and governments incorporate strategies that seek to preserve rivers and springs as essential tools of sustainable water manage- ment. This collaborative water fund initiative is based on the principle that the availability of water is an irreplaceable com- ponent in the operation of companies that are interested in achieving sustainability within their own businesses. PLANNING FOR GREEN Melbourne, Australia Working with Resilient Melbourne, The Nature Con- servancy is helping to develop an urban forest plan that iden- tifies opportunities to maintain and restore natural areas in a fast-growing metropolitan area. Melbourne is frequently ranked among the worlds most livable cities, and as its suburbs expand to meet the needs of a growing population, municipal leaders are looking to urban nature to protect wildlife habi- tat, provide green space for recreation and ensure that trees are available to manage the effects of climate change, including heat. COASTAL STORM RESILIENCE New York, USA The Nature Conservancy analyzed several coastal infra- structure options, ranging from purely nature-based solutions to one consisting of only gray defenses. In the case study community of Howard Beach, Queens, the analysis shows that a hybrid approach using a combination of natural and gray defenses could result in avoided losses of up to $244 million from the current 1-in- 100 year storm event. Demonstrating the benefits of a hybrid approach in terms of future cost-avoidance pro- vides a strong basis for making investments that use both nature-based and gray systems in community resiliency that are critically needed today. RESILIENT A Great Green City Is “Urban green spaces can mitigate heat and air pollution, manage storm water and protect against climate impacts while stacking benefits like enhancing city life, promoting recreation and improving public health. Nature can help create thriving, resilient citiesthats a huge return on investment.” Laur a Huffman, T exas Regional Director and North America Cities Committee Chair Children play soccer on a permeable field in Shenzhen, China. Permeable surfaces help manage rainwater drainage and flow. The Sinolink Primary School in Shenzhen, China has implemented a number of sponge city features including permeable surfaces in their sports grounds. Sinolink stu- dents also participate in a young naturalists class taught by TNC China employee Chen Haomiaon Shenzhen, Chin, who attended the school as a child. Benefits of Urban Nature Research has linked the presence of urban nature to. COOLING city streets by 2-4F, reducing deaths from heat and cutting energy use PROTECTING coastlines and reducing storm surge THEODORE KAYE6 7 Healthy and vibrant, with abundant urban greenery that filters pollution and provides clear health benefits to people. Strong local investments in source water protection supply clean, safe drinking water. Stormwater and flood solutions improve wastewater man- agement. Residents have easy access to nature; and green spaces provide healthier, more abundant habitat so native plants and wildlife can thrive safely in cities with room to roam. URBAN HEAT MITIGATION Dallas, USA The Nature Conservancy is working with partners to plant trees with school-aged children and volunteers in the Oak Cliff community, an underserved area that has been identified as one of the most pressing places in the city to address urban heat, air pollution and lack of access to parks and green space. Plans are also underway to engage local youth in the monitoring and evaluation of trees in their communities. NATURES COOLING Phoenix, USA Natural solutions can be a key component of local govern- ment efforts to plan a response to increasingly unhealthy temperatures. Were working with local leaders, partner and researchers to integrate environmental planning into heat-mitigation planning in one of the United States hot- test cities, where average highs soar to 105 F or more during July and August. The effort, called Natures Cooling Sys- tems, is focused on the neighborhoods that will see the greatest benefit from investment. Wealthy areas boast more green space and tree cover in many cities across the world, and our project is investigating ways to even the playing field, so that everyone can experience the benefits of urban nature. GREEN HEART PROJECT Louisville, USA The Nature Conservancy is a founding partner in the Green Heart Project, landmark study that will examine the link between neighborhood greenery and human health. Louisville is losing more than 50,000 trees each year, and experiences significant public health impacts from air pollu- tion, including high rates of cardiac disease. We believe nature can help. The Conser- vancy is partnering to plant more than 8,ooo trees and plants to help clean the air in a Louisville neighborhood, where medical researchers will conduct a controlled study to test the degree to which urban trees can help filter pollution and improve health and wellbe- ing at the neighborhood level. WETLAND RESTORATION Chennai, India For more than a decade, Chennai has been experiencing erratic weather events such as storms, floods and droughts, with impacts exacerbated by unplanned and rapid develop- ment, which is adversely impacting the health of wet- lands and lakes built long ago to manage the citys water. We are working in partnership to revive Keelkattalai Lake, which drains into a marshland that is critical for the citys water resources. “The scientific evidence is increasingly clear: interacting with nature is associated with multiple health benefits, from reducing stress, increasing concentration, and decreasing the incidence of diseases like asthma. Beyond our personal health, nature in cities helps keep our air cool and clean, and is a cost-effective way to manage stormwater. Smart cities are planning for nature as a crucial type of infrastructure to provide to their citizens.” HEALTHY A Great Green City Is Rob McDonald, Lead Scientist for Global Cities Access to clean air and water, local food and green spaces make communities healthier. A riverside park in Louisville includes pollu- tion-filtering trees. Volunteers plant trees in Louisville, KY. Akshay Arora at Union Square Greenmarket in New York City stocks up on local produce. REDUCING RATES of cardiac disease, strokes, and asthma due to improved air quality REDUCING OBESITY LEVELS by increasing physical activity including walking and cycling REDUCING STRESS by helping interrupt thought patterns that lead to anxiety and depression CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: DEVAN KING/TNC; KEVIN ARNOLD
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